THE 2ND SEMESTER: A TIME FOR NEW DEBUTS & GOODBYES (9)

The first semester of our high school year was full of memorable events. We made new friends, joined different groups, experienced romance and more. We had a blast as freshmen. The campus was buzzing with excitement and energy. The classes were easy and fun. The teachers were friendly and helpful. The clubs and activities were diverse and exciting. But things are about to get serious this semester. It’s going to be a busy and challenging time for us. The campus will be filled with stress and pressure. The classes will be complex and tedious. The teachers will be strict and demanding. The clubs and activities will be competitive and exhausting. The second semester is about greeting new faces and saying goodbye to some old ones. You must be wondering why I say ‘goodbye’, right? Well, you’ll find out soon enough.

Something unexpected is going to happen that will shake things up. And we can’t always expect to finish with the same people we started with.’ Hey, Fei, long time no see! It feels like an eternity.’ There she goes again, being dramatic. Her voice is loud and cheerful, but her eyes are restless and anxious. She’s wearing a blue uniform with her uniform belt hanging around her neck as usual and a matching bow in her hair to complete the ensemble. She looks like a doll, but she acts like a diva. Do I have to deal with this again this year?

‘Yeah, it’s been ages, Mimi. I hate to admit it, but I missed you too. Texting and calling are not the same as seeing you in person. And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I also missed your drama. Life around you is like a soap opera.’ I say sarcastically but with a hint of affection. My voice is calm and relaxed, but my heart is warm and soft. I’m wearing a blue uniform with my belt neatly tied. I look like a nerd, but I act like a rebel.

‘Aww, thank you. That’s so sweet of you.’ She giggles, hugging me tightly. Her perfume is sweet and floral, but her breath is sour and bitter. She smells like candy, but she tastes like vinegar. ‘I wasn’t complimenting you, you dummy. So how was your vacation?’ I finally asked her the question that she was dying to hear. It is evident from her face.

‘Oh, finally! I thought you’d never ask.’ She says, letting go of me and jumping up and down. Her smile is wide and bright, but her teeth are crooked and yellow. She looks happy, but she sounds fake.

‘Well, nothing much. Just did this and that, went here and there and had one or two things happen, that’s all.’ She says vaguely, waving her hands in the air. Her nails are long and straightforward, but her fingers are short and stubby. She gestures a lot, but she says little.

‘And what are these ‘this and that’, ‘here and there’ and ‘one or two things?’ I ask curiously, raising an eyebrow. Judging by the sparkle in her eyes, I knew it wouldn’t be anything good or pleasant.

But let’s hear her out anyway. ‘Well, you know, I attended some church programs and got proposed to by some guy from my church. And I couldn’t say no, so I accepted.’ She says casually, shrugging her shoulders. She wears a lot of jewellery, even though they are against the laws of the school.

‘Mimi, are you serious or insane? How could you do something like that?’ I say incredulously, shaking my head. Great, another year full of drama. I can’t take it anymore. My peaceful high school life is ruined once again. I give up. There’s no saving her now. I have no choice but to sit back and watch her harem unfold. The most important question of all is: Will I survive this? Mimi, what have you done? How much more fame and attention do you need to be satisfied? How desperate are you to leave a mark in this school? I guess I’ll have to wait and see how this all works.

FIRST MONDAY

Today is the first day of official lessons, and the teachers are not going easy on us at all. They decided to surprise us with a pop quiz right after the vacation.

Who does that? Luckily, I studied a bit during the break to distract myself from Mimi’s dramatic life. And since it’s Literature, I’m not too worried. I love reading and writing, so this is my forte. Everyone was busy writing; some were so nervous that they almost bit off their pens, some gave up and just slept, and the ‘Sharks’ of our class finished 20 minutes early. I just calmly and carefully answered every question with caution. I didn’t want to make any mistakes. I wrote neatly and clearly, using proper grammar and spelling. I knew the answers to most of the questions and guessed the rest.

‘Phew! That was tough and intense, don’t you think, Fei?’ Mimi asked, wiping her forehead with her handkerchief. She looked exhausted and frustrated. Her hair was messy, and her uniform was dishevelled. She wrote hastily but with correct grammar and in-depth. She didn’t know the answers to most questions, so I had to help her.

‘Yeah, for sure. I wasn’t expecting this at all. But I’m glad that at least I’ll be able to get a decent grade.’ I said, smiling confidently. Looking at some people’s faces, I could tell they didn’t do well. And yeah, most of us were caught off guard by this quiz. Even the bookworms were shocked. But who knows what goes on in Madam Evelyn’s mind? She’s a strict and demanding teacher who loves to challenge us. She’s also a brilliant and inspiring teacher who loves to teach us. I respect her a lot, but I also fear her a bit. I’m starving. Thank goodness it’s almost break time.’ Hi ladies, long time no see. How was your Christmas & New Year?’ Speak of the devil, Lander. I was about to ask him about his vacation, and here he is. He’s wearing blue-black uniform shorts and a blue short-sleeve shirt untacked.

He looks like a bad boy, but he acts like a gentleman. ‘It was good. I mostly stayed home, though, except for the 25th and 31st. What about you?’ I asked politely, but not too interested. ‘Not much, just missing my babe here a lot. I wish we could have spent the holidays together.’ He said, hugging Mimi tightly. His voice is deep and smooth, but his words are cheesy and corny. He sounds like a singer, but he talks like a stalker. The day hasn’t ended, but their lovey-dovey behaviour has already exhausted me. Ugh! I can feel a headache coming on. Someone, please rescue me. Mimi smiled weakly and tried to pull away from his embrace. She looked uncomfortable and annoyed. Her eyes were darting around the classroom, looking for an escape. She didn’t like his touch or his words. She felt trapped and suffocated by his love.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. I didn’t like him either. He was too clingy and possessive. He always followed Mimi around like a puppy, showering her with gifts and compliments. He was too much for her and me.

‘Hey, Lander, why don’t you let go of Mimi for a second? She needs some space, you know.’ I said, trying to sound casual and friendly. ‘Oh, sorry, Fei. I didn’t mean to ignore you.’ He said, letting go of Mimi and turning to me. ‘How are you doing? So, what did you do on vacation?’

‘I’m fine, thanks. Oh, you know, I did this and that.’ I said, lying through my teeth. My vacation was boring and lonely. I spent most of it at home, reading books and watching movies. I sometimes talk for long hours on the phone with my best friend, but it is limited since he has a girlfriend. I wished I had a boyfriend who would care about me.

‘That’s good to hear.’ He said, nodding politely. ‘So, are you ready for the new semester?’

‘Yeah, sure.’ I said, shrugging. ‘Are you?’

‘Yeah, of course.’ He said, smiling confidently. ‘I’m looking forward to learning new things and having fun.’

‘Yeah, me too.’ I said, faking a smile. We exchanged some more small talk, but it was awkward and boring. We didn’t have anything in common or anything interesting to say. We were making conversation for the sake of Mimi. Mimi was silent the whole time, looking bored and restless. She didn’t join in our discussion or show any interest in what we were saying. She was waiting for an opportunity to get away from Lander. She earned her chance when the bell rang for break time. ‘Oh, look at the time.’ She said, grabbing her bag and standing up.

‘I have to go now.’ ‘Where are you going?’ Lander asked, grabbing her hand and holding it. ‘I have to meet someone.’ She said vaguely, trying to free her hand.

‘Who?’ He asked curiously. ‘Just someone.’ She said evasively. ‘Can I come with you?’ He asked hopefully. ‘No.’ She said firmly. ‘Why not?’ He asked disappointedly. ‘Because...’ She said hesitantly. She looked at me for help, but I just shrugged. I didn’t know what to say either. She looked back at him and sighed. ‘Because...I need some time alone.’ She said finally. ‘Alone?’ He repeated, sounding hurt. ‘Yes, alone.’ She confirmed, declaring annoyed.

‘But why?’ He persisted. ‘Because...I have some things to think about.’ She said vaguely. ‘Things? What things?’ He asked curiously. ‘Things...about us.’ She said reluctantly. ‘Us?’ He repeated, sounding alarmed. ‘Yes, us.’ She confirmed, expressing impatient. ‘What about us?’ He asked nervously. She looked at him with a severe expression and took a deep breath. ‘Lander...we need to talk.’ She said solemnly…

(Word count: 1688)